pale tan lines radiating out from the corners of his dark caramel eyes and the no doubt designer amount of dark stubble above that full, sensuous upper lip. Dark brown stylishly cut short hair curled around his ears but his eyebrows were naturally thick and manly.
A long, thin, tanned face, dominated by a strong narrow nose, classic cleft chin, fantastic cheekbones. So overall a full score on the male-model-businessman-lawyer look. Fabio was probably a big hit with the lady clients at the law firm he worked for.
Inhaling was a mistake. He smelt of expensive male grooming products, which right at that moment were worth every penny. Her sensitive nose picked up citrus and musky notes above a tang of something that was very much Fabio Rossi.
Then the right side of his mouth turned up into what was probably meant to be a reassuring smile.
And every sensory switch inside her body turned on. Just like that. Completely out of the blue and totally, totally not what she wanted to happen.
Especially not now.
Speech was impossible and for what seemed like minutes, but was probably only seconds, they both stood there in silence. Breathing in air that positively crackled with electricity. Neither of them willing to shift an inch.
It was almost a relief when someone’s mobile phone started ringing.
‘I think it’s yours.’ Fabio blinked, breaking the connection, stepped back and folded his arms.
Bunty turned away, reeling, sucked in some air because apparently she had stopped breathing, bent down, reached into her tiny wrist bag that came with the dress and found the phone in the inside pocket. She flipped open the tiny silver high-tech unit and pressed the receive button as a familiar voice hissed down the line.
‘Sorry to interrupt but are you coming back in?’ Alex whispered. ‘Maria is just about to bring in the birthday cake and we are frightened of the fire risk. You can bring the hunk with you if you like to help you blow out all of the candles.’
‘Be right there,’ she replied and closed down the phone.
Sucking in a long breath of the cold night air, Bunty lifted her head and stared into the face of one of the best-looking men she had ever met in her life.
Hell. Who was she kidding? He was gorgeous. Shame that he was the lawyer working for Luca.
The cold air helped to clear her head so that when she spoke the words came out in some vague order and almost in control.
‘I will try and find the time to look at the paperwork tomorrow. You know where to reach me. Brannigans deli. Just down the street. Goodnight, Mr Rossi.’
And before he had a chance to reply, she clutched hold of the paperwork in one hand and pushed open the door with the other, propelling herself into the room and a loud chorus of cheering.
Leaving Fabio Rossi standing on the pavement outside with a curious smile on his face.
Chapter Four
Saturday
Things to do:
Make enough wild mushroom ravioli and sauce for the special offer over the next few days;
Luca’s offer. Twelve months. Sixty/forty to me. What else do I want? Start a list so I am ready when he calls, but don’t be pushed into reading that contract paperwork — make him wait for once. This is the new Bunty – hear her roar!
Be civil to the Rossi lawyer – he was only doing his job;
Pretend to enjoy being thirty. Yay. Sob;
Remember — denial is good.
Bunty rolled her heavy pestle against the fragrant lightly toasted green fennel seeds inside the mortar, pushing down with all of the strength she could muster, crushing the seeds and releasing their wonderful aroma.
It helped if she imagined it was Luca’s leering face at the bottom of the mortar.
This was all his fault!
Her brain had been spinning most of the night, working through the options, over and over again, weighing up the pros and cons and, the more she thought about it, the more obvious the answer had become.
She had to accept Luca’s offer. She didn’t have any choice.
And not just for the extra publicity and cash. This was her chance to show the Caruso family that she was just as capable of running her own successful business as they were.
Working as Luca’s partner would be exactly the boost that she needed to make her dream come true and prove her uncle wrong at the same time!
Twelve months. That was all she needed. One year. Just long enough to get her catering business up and running, train the staff and build the orders so that she was ready to go when she found the perfect location for the second deli.
To do that she was almost willing to put up with being in close proximity to the Caruso family – as long as they did not try and interfere with her work.
But there was something else that kept whirling around inside her head every time she punched her feather pillow to try and find a comfy spot.
Luca had come running to her to ask for help.
Surely that had to give her some bargaining power?
Bunty stomped extra hard on what was left of the seeds. Now all she had to do was pluck up enough courage to insist on it the next time she saw Luca.
He had tried to jump the gun by sending that contract paperwork with Fabio Rossi last night. Forcing her to make a decision. Well, that could wait. In fact it was going to have to wait; a very long time if she had her way.
This was her decision. This time she was going to be the one setting the terms of the contract. And she was going to make him wait.
Her hands stilled and a giggle bubbled up from inside her chest and emerged as a short cough.
It was finally going to happen!
She was actually taking that first step closer to her dream. After all these years of planning and talking and more planning she could almost see the labels on her food going out to restaurants and pubs and bistros all over London from not one but two delis.
And maybe, just maybe, she might be able to afford a third deli. And then another until she had her own chain of Brannigans delis across the city. One day.
Now that…that was worth celebrating.
With a quick shake of her head, Bunty tipped the coarse fennel powder into the large metal tray already packed with sliced mushrooms, chopped parsley, garlic and shallots and spooned the herby warm olive oil over the part-roast vegetables. She had just popped the tray into the oven when the comforting sound of warm laughter echoed out from the deli.
Alex and Fran had stopped to chat to Maria, who was working the counter, before they strolled through into the kitchen.
‘Morning, lovely ladies.’ Bunty smiled. ‘Be with you in a minute.’
‘Happy Saturday, sweetie. So,’ Alex said as Bunty wiped down the chopping boards. ‘You are looking remarkably perky for a thirty-year-old lady who partied late into the night. So. Are you going to tell us what happened with Fa-a-abio last night? Elena has already been around the street telling everybody that you’ve got a hot new squeeze. Come on, we’re dying to know what happened when you two stepped outside for your romantic interlude.’
‘Happy morning after your birthday from me too,’ Fran said as she slid past Alex. ‘I only saw Fabio for a few minutes yesterday but he looked nice. And this is lovely — I love the flowers!’
Bunty had set the staff dining table next to the patio doors leading to her walled garden with colourful china in Mediterranean blue and yellow, on a pristine white linen tablecloth embroidered with flowers and yellow swallowtail butterflies. A huge crystal vase stuffed